Shillong, July 26: Meghalaya MP Ricky Syngkon, has urged the Union Home Ministry to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state. The appeal comes amid growing concerns over a suspected influx of illegal settlers, particularly following recent eviction drives in neighbouring Assam.
During a recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Syngkon raised alarm over increasing unauthorised settlements and encroachments in sensitive zones — particularly along the interstate boundary with Assam and the international border with Bangladesh. He warned that such unregulated migration could significantly disrupt the demographic balance, threatening the cultural identity, land rights, and socio-economic security of Meghalaya’s tribal communities.
“The unchecked influx of migrants poses a grave threat to our indigenous way of life,” Syngkon stated. “Implementation of the ILP is not only a constitutional safeguard under the Sixth Schedule but a long-standing aspiration of the people of Meghalaya.”
Highlighting that states like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur already operate under the ILP regime, Syngkon stressed that Meghalaya must not be left behind. The ILP system, issued under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, acts as a protective mechanism for tribal populations by regulating the entry of non-locals.
Syngkon’s demand has gained urgency in the wake of Assam’s intensified efforts to evict undocumented settlers, which he fears could trigger a spillover into Meghalaya’s border districts. Tribal groups, civil society organisations, and student unions in the state have long campaigned for the ILP, citing rising demographic pressures and fears of marginalisation.
